Automatic paint stirring equipment with improved bushing

ABSTRACT

Automatic paint stirring equipment of the type having a rack adapted to removably receive and support a plurality of paint cans in which each paint can includes a cover having a paint stiffing assembly mounted to the cover with a paddle inside the can and a driven member positioned above the cover. A plurality of drive assemblies are also provided wherein each drive assembly includes a drive shaft rotatably mounted to the rack having a drive member secured to its lower end which mechanically engages the driven member on the paint can cover. A pulley is secured to the other end of the drive shaft while a motor rotatably drives the pulley via an endless belt. The paint stirring equipment includes an improved bushing for rotatably mounting the drive shafts to the rack. This improved bushing includes a one-piece housing having an axial throughbore adapted to receive the drive shaft therethrough. A flange is provided at one end of the bushing while a bayonet coupling is provided at the other end of the bushing. Upon insertion of the bayonet coupling through a like-shaped bayonet opening in the rack and rotation of the bushing to a locked position, a portion of the rack is entrapped between the bayonet coupling and the flange. Preferably, the bushing is of a one-piece plastic construction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to automatic paint stirringequipment and, more particularly, to such equipment with an improvedbushing assembly.

2. Description of the Prior Art

There are many types of previously known automatic paint stirringequipment of the type commonly used in automotive repair shops. Thepreviously known automatic paint stirring equipment typically comprisesa rack designed to removably receive and support a plurality of cans ofpaint.

A cover assembly is disposed across the open top of each paint can. Eachcover assembly, furthermore, includes a stirring mechanism with a paddlepositioned inside the paint can, a driven member positioned above thecover and a shaft which connects the driven member to the paddle.Furthermore, upon insertion of the paint can with its cover into therack, a drive member mounted to the rack automatically mechanicallyengages the driven member on the paint can cover. Thus, rotation of thedrive member simultaneously rotates the driven member and its attachedpaddle thus stirring the paint in the desired fashion.

These previously known drive mechanisms typically comprise a drive shaftwhich is rotatably mounted to the rack and has a first or lower endpositioned adjacent the driven member on the paint can cover as well asan upper end. A drive member is secured to the lower end of the driveshaft for mechanically engaging the driven member of the stirringassembly on the paint can cover. Conversely, a pulley is secured to theupper end of the drive shaft and this pulley is rotatably driven in apreset rotational direction by a motor.

In order to rotatably mount the drive shaft to the rack, the previouslyknown automatic paint stirring equipment has typically employed a metalbushing which is secured to the rack by drilling holes through portionsof the metal bushing and then securing the bushing to the rack withsheet metal screws. These previously known bushings are thusdisadvantageous tier a number of different reasons.

One disadvantage of these previously known bushings is that the bushingswere relatively expensive to construct both in material and machiningcosts. Furthermore, the necessity of drilling holes through the bushingfurther increased the manufacturing costs for the bushing.

A still further disadvantage of these previously known bushings is thatit was relatively difficult and time consuming to attach the bushing tothe rack with the sheet metal screws. This further increased the overalllabor costs of assembly of the paint. stirring equipment.

A still further disadvantage of the previously known bushings is that,after prolonged use, the screw securing the bushings to the rack wouldbecome loosened and require periodic maintenance for retightening.Failure to properly maintain the maintenance of the bushings couldresult in failure of the bushing and failure of the paint stirringequipment.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention provides automatic paint stirring equipment whichovercomes all of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the previouslyknown devices.

In brief, the automatic paint stirring equipment of the presentinvention comprises a rack adapted to removably receive and support aplurality of paint cans. Each paint can includes a cover having a paintstirring assembly mounted to the cover. The paint stirring assemblyincludes a paddle contained within the interior of the can and a drivenmember positioned above the cover and mechanically connected to thepaddle by a shaft.

A plurality of drive assemblies are rotatably mounted to the rack forrotatably driving the paint stirring assemblies positioned on the rack.Each drive assembly includes a drive shaft which is positioned through abushing secured to the rack. A drive member is secured to a lower end ofthe drive shaft which mechanically drivingly engages the driven memberon the paint can cover. A drive pulley is secured to the upper end ofthe drive shall while a motor rotatably drives the pulley in apredetermined rotational direction thus stirring the paint in the can inthe desired fashion.

The bushing for rotatably mounting the drive shaft to the rack ispreferably of a one-piece plastic body which is generally cylindrical inshape and has a flange at one end. An axially extending through bore isprovided through the bushing for rotatably receiving the drive shafttherethrough while a bayonet coupling is provided at the other end ofthe bushing. The bayonet coupling is inserted through a bayonet openingin the rack and rotated to a locked position whereupon a portion of therack is entrapped between the bayonet coupling and the flange.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

A better understanding of the present invention will be had uponreference to the following detailed description, when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like references referto like characters throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating a portion of apreferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a portion of the preferred embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded diagrammatic view illustrating the preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top view illustrating a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 5--5 in FIG. 2and illustrating the bushing in an unlocked position; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but illustrating the bushing in alocked position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of thepaint stirring equipment 10 of the present invention is thereshown andcomprises a rack 12 adapted to removably receive and support a pluralityof paint cans 14 (FIG. 1) in a side-by-side relationship.

A cover 16 is provided across the open top of each paint can 14. As bestshown in FIG. 2, each cover assembly 16 includes a stirring assembly 18having a paddle 20 positioned within the interior of the can 14, adriven member 22 positioned above the cover 16 and means, such as ashaft 24, for connecting the driven member 22 to the paddle 20.

As best shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of drive shafts 26 are eachrotatably mounted by a bushing 28 to the rack 12 so that the driveshafts 26 are spaced apart and parallel to each other. Furthermore, adrive member 30 is secured to a lower end of each drive shall 26 suchthat, with the paint can 14 positioned within the rack 12, the drive:member 30 and driven member 22 are mechanically connected together.

With reference now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, a drive pulley 32 is secured tothe upper end of each drive shaft 26 so that each drive pulley 32rotates in unison with its associated drive shaft 26. Furthermore, asbest shown in FIG. 1, the drive pulleys 32 are generally coplanar andaligned with each other.

With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 4, a conventional motor 38 isdrivingly connected to the drive pulleys 32 by an endless flexible belt36. Appropriate idler wheels 39 are provided between drive pulleys 36 toensure adequate frictional engagement between the belt 36 and the drivepulleys 32 such that the drive pulleys 32 rotate in unison with themovement of the drive belt 36. Furthermore, as best shown in FIG. 4, thedrive pulleys 32 are rotatably driven in a preset rotational directionas indicated by arrow 41.

With reference now particularly to FIG. 3, the bushing 28 is thereshownin greater detail and generally comprises a cylindrical body 40 havingan axial throughbore 42. The axial throughbore 42 is dimensioned toslidably receive the drive shall 26 therethrough.

An enlarged diameter flange 44 is provided around an upper end of thebody 40 and the flange 44 is generally circular in shape. A bayonetcoupling 46 is also formed on the body 40 adjacent its other end. Thisbayonet coupling 46 is dimensioned to be insertably received through abayonet opening 50 in the rack 12.

Although the bayonet coupling 46 may be of any conventionalconstruction, in the preferred embodiment, it includes three pins 52which extend radially outwardly from the bushing body 40 at a positionspaced from the flange 44. The three pins 52 are circumferentiallyequidistantly spaced from each other. Additionally, a stop member 54extends between the flange 44 on one side of each pin 52.

With reference now particularly to FIG. 5, the bushing 28 is thereshownpositioned through the opening 50 in the rack 12 so that each pin 52 isreceived through a corresponding portion of the opening 50. In doing so,the flange 28 abuts against an upper side of the rack 12 (see FIG. 2)while the pins 52 of the bayonet coupling 46 are positioned on theopposite side of the rack 12.

With reference now to FIG. 6, after the bushing is inserted through thebayonet opening 50 in the rack, the bushing is rotated in the directionindicated by arrow 60 to the position shown in FIG. 6. In doing so, aportion 62 is entrapped between the pins 52 of the bayonet coupling 46and the bushing flange 44 thus securing the bushing 28 to the rack 12.The stop members 54 on the bushing 28 limit the rotation of the bushingin the direction of arrow 60.

With reference now to FIGS. 4 and 6, the direction of rotation 41 of thedrive pulley 32 is the same as the direction of rotation 60 of thebushing 28 necessary to move the bushing 28 to a locked position.Consequently, rotation of the drive pulleys 32 during the normaloperation of the paint stirring equipment 10 ensures that the bushing 28remains seated in its locked position (FIG. 6) to the rack 12.

In practice, in order to assemble the bushings 28 to the rack 12, thebushings 28 are merely inserted through the bayonet openings 50 in therack 12 and rotated to their locked position (FIG. 6). As such, thebushings 28 can be easily and rapidly assembled to the rack 12.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, each bushing is of aone-piece construction. Furthermore, the bushings 28 are also preferablyconstructed from an inexpensive, yet durable plastic material. Theplastic material may be oil impregnated to minimize wear and tear on thedrive shafts 26.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention providesautomatic paint stirring equipment with an improved bushing assembly.Having described my invention, however, many modifications thereto willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains withoutdeviation from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope ofthe appended claims.

I claim:
 1. Automatic paint stirring equipment comprisinga rack adaptedto removably receive and support a plurality of paint cans, each paintcan having a cover and a paint stiffing assembly mounted to the cover,said paint stirring assembly having a paddle positioned within the paintcan and a driven member positioned above the cover and mechanicallyconnected to the paddle by a shaft, a plurality of drive assemblies,each drive assembly having a drive shaft, means for rotatably mountingeach drive assembly to said rack, a drive member secured to one end ofsaid drive shaft, said drive member being mechanically drivinglyconnected to the driven member of the paint stirring assembly of onepaint can positioned in the rack, a plurality of drive pulleys, onedrive pulley being secured to the other end of each drive shaft, amotor, means for drivingly connecting said motor to said drive pulleysso that actuation of said motor rotatably drives said drive pulleys,wherein said rotatable mounting means comprises a bushing having athroughbore adapted to receive said drive shaft, said bushing having aflange at one end and a bayonet coupling at its other end, said bayonetcoupling being insertable through a bayonet opening in said rack sothat, upon rotation of said bushing to a locked position, a portion ofsaid rack is sandwiched between said flange and said bayonet coupling.2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said bushing is of a onepiece construction.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein saidbushing is made of plastic.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 1wherein said bayonet coupling comprises a plurality of pins extendingradially outwardly with respect to said bushing throughbore.
 5. Theinvention as defined in claim 4 wherein said pins are spaced from saidflange by a distance substantially the same as a thickness of said rackat said bayonet opening.
 6. The invention as defined in claim 5 whereinsaid bushing includes a stop extending between one side of each pin andsaid flange.
 7. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein saidplurality of pins comprises three pins.